About me: how I came to arts-based leadership coaching

I'm a qualified leadership coach and facilitator with over 25 years' experience across the arts, culture, education, charity and public sectors, supporting learning, leadership and organisational development. I bring more than 1,200 hours of coaching experience to my practice.

Before becoming a coach, I led learning, engagement and research programmes across museums and cultural organisations. Much of my work involved bringing together artists, communities, researchers and partners to explore ideas, develop skills, create meaningful experiences and evaluate impact.

Through that work, I became fascinated by how people learn, make sense of complex situations and grow as people.

During the completion of my accredited coaching qualification, I discovered art-based approaches, and something in my practice really clicked. Bringing creative expression into coaching felt like a natural way of combining my experience in leadership development with my background in the arts and cultural sector.

Art-based approaches can help people explore complex questions, notice patterns and develop insights that aren't always reached through conversation alone. The focus isn't on making art, but on making meaning.

I've continued to deepen my practice through specialist training in Art in Coaching's Person Centred Transformational Art Coaching approach, alongside additional training in trauma-informed practice.

I also hold a Master's degree (Museum Studies), a teaching qualification, an accredited coaching qualification and am committed to ongoing professional development such as mindfulness training and coaching supervision.

The experience behind my practice

Alongside my independent practice, I work as a Lead Coach at Corndel. Before moving into coaching more than five years ago, I spent over 15 years leading learning, participation and consultancy work across museums, arts and culture.

Leadership Coaching and development

Corndel, 2021–present

At Corndel, I coach managers and senior leaders across corporate, public and third-sector organisations. I have delivered coaching, workshops and facilitated learning across more than 25 leadership cohorts, working with people from organisations including Cancer Research UK, DWP, NHS, Macmillan Cancer Support, Carers Trust, the University of Cambridge and the University of Manchester.

My work supports people at different points in their leadership: stepping into greater responsibility, navigating organisational change, developing teams or becoming more confident and intentional in how they lead.

I became a Lead Coach in 2026. Alongside working with clients, I contribute to professional development and help strengthen the quality of coaching practice across the organisation.

Insight, participation and organisational change

Prior to coaching, I worked with museums and cultural organisations to help them understand their impact, involve people more meaningfully and use insight to make better decisions.

As Head of Learning and Participation at The Audience Agency, I led consultancy and evaluation for organisations including Historic England, the British Museum, the Museum of London, Norfolk Museums Service, the Science Museum and the British Council.

This included designing an evaluation framework for Historic England’s community and cultural programme across 67 high streets; evaluating national initiatives focused on workforce diversity and youth participation; and leading training academies for museum professionals in Greece, Chile and Peru.

At The Audience Agency, I created and edited The Learning Diaries, a long-running series translating audience research and sector thinking into practical insight for cultural professionals. I have contributed to several sector publications and spoken at events for the Museums Association, Museums + Heritage and the Visitor Studies Group.

Leading creative and inclusive practice

Earlier in my career, I led learning and participation programmes at the Museum of London. My work created opportunities for Londoners, particularly young people and local communities to develop skills and learn, as well as influence exhibitions, collections and creative decisions.

I established the Museum’s first youth panel and led the youth strand of the Cultural Olympiad programme Stories of the World. This culminated in Our Londinium 2012, a major exhibition co-curated with young Londoners.

This work received national recognition, including a Museums + Heritage Award for Excellence (best educational initiative) for the Museum’s Social Inclusion Programme and a Jodi Award for Digital Access for Podcasts from the Past project.

More importantly, it taught me a great deal about listening well, sharing power and creating the conditions in which people can contribute with confidence. Those principles remain central to my coaching and facilitation today.

Professional background

I hold a CMI Level 5 Certificate in Professional Coaching Practice, completed through an Association for Coaching-accredited programme, and an NCFE Level 3 Award in Education and Training.

I also have an MA in Museum Studies. My dissertation research explored how museums evaluate the impact of social inclusion and arts engagement initiatives, reflecting an interest in people, participation and meaningful change that continues to shape my work today.

My continuing professional development includes art-based and trauma-informed coaching, particularly ART in Coaching's Person Centred Transformational Art Coaching methodology.